1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the platform art and more particularly to a removable platform installable over a bowling alley array to allow the bowling alley facility to be utilized for functions other than bowling.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many applications in which a facility may be utilized for various and different functions and in which the floor may consist of a function specific configuration. For example, many indoor sports arenas are utilized for both basketball and ice hockey. In such arenas, a removable basketball floor, often of a parquet configuration, is placed over the floor which, when flooded with water and frozen, is utilized for ice hockey. Many configurations of such removable flooring for such uses have been proposed and/or are available for use. Such systems provide for greater utilization of the facility and thus are economically attractive to the owners of the facilities.
However, there is one form of a sports arena that often has a very much greater area than the conventional basketball/ice hockey facility and in which the floor level utilized for the primary function is not substantially coplanar. One such sports facility is the bowling alley facility in which a plurality of side by side parallel bowling lanes are provided for use during bowling. The number of such lanes in any one facility may be forty-eight, sixty or even greater. All of the bowling surfaces of the plurality of lanes upon which bowling balls are rolled are generally fabricated from a preselected wood or plastic laminate and are substantially coplanar. The bowling surfaces are flat and are carefully maintained free from dents, protrusions or other types of defects which would affect the trajectory of a bowling ball rolled thereon. The lanes extend longitudinally from an approach area upon which the bowler approaches the lanes and launches the bowling ball onto the bowling lane to the bowling pin/ball chamber area at the remote end of each lane. As is standard in present day bowling alleys, the pins are generally automatically “spotted” by the pin setting mechanisms into prescribed configurations depending on whether it is the first ball of a line or the second ball of line. If the first ball of a line does not knock all the pins down, the pins are set for the second ball into the configuration left after the first ball. After the second ball of each line, the pins are set to the initial configuration for the first ball of each line. The bowling pin/ball chamber area also contains the mechanism for receiving the bowling ball after each bowling thereof and directing the bowling ball into a ball return portion which directs the bowling ball longitudinally back from the bowling pin/ball chamber at the remote end of the lane to a region in the approach area so that the ball may be repeatedly utilized.
Each lane in the plurality of lanes is provided with gutters extending longitudinally at each edge of the lane and each gutter has a generally semi circular configuration extending below the bowling surface level of the lanes. A first of the two gutters of each lane is separated from a first of the two gutters of an adjacent lane on one side of the alley by a single division capping having a first preselected transverse width which extends vertically a first preselected height above the bowling surface of the lanes. The second of the two gutters of each lane are separated from the gutters of an adjacent lane on the other side of the lane by a ball return capping which has a second preselected transverse width that is wider than the first preselected transverse width of the single division capping and the ball return capping extends vertically above the surface level of the bowling lanes a second preselected height which may be greater than the first preselected height of the single division capping.
The proprietors of many bowling alley facilities often desire to convert, temporarily, the array of bowling alley lanes to a continuous, flat, platform surface suitable for conducting meetings, dances, political rallies and the like, or other sports activities such as badminton, team handball, volleyball or other desired sports activities. However, removable platforms utilized in other applications cannot be utilized to convert a bowling alley facility to a continuos level flat, level platform surface because of the variations in height of the various portions of the bowling lanes such as the differences in height of the bowling surface, gutters, single division capping and ball return cover capping. There is also the requirement that the there be no damage to the bowling surface of each lane during the installation, removal or use of the platform. The platform covering for a bowling alley array also must be easily assembled on the bowling alley array, easily removed from the bowling alley array. It is desired that such a removable platform also be of a modular type configuration to facilitate the handling, shipping and storage of the components thereof. Since the area of a typical bowling alley facility is much larger than the area of other sports facilities utilizing removable platform like coverings, it is also desired that the components of the platform should be conveniently storable and, to minimize cost to the bowling alley facility proprietor, should utilize as components materials that are generally locally obtainable.
Thus, there has long been a need for a removable platform providing a flat, level surface for converting an array of bowling alley lanes into a flat, level platform which can accommodate a variety of other activities, be easily assembled, installed and removed from the bowling alley array, not harm or damage the bowling surface of the alleys during use, installation or removal, be conveniently storable, utilize readily obtainable local supplies for components of the platform, and be economical to fabricate, ship and store. The removable platform is also desired to be easily manipulated during installing, removal, storing maintained in condition during storage so that it may be readily used repetitively as a platform.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved removable platform for a bowling alley array in a bowling alley facility.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved removable platform for a bowling alley array in a bowling alley facility that is easily assembled, installed on and removed from the bowling alleys.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved removable platform for a bowling alley array in a bowling alley facility that does not damage or injure the bowling surface of the bowling alleys during installation thereon, utilization for other desired activities and removal.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved removable platform for a bowling alley array in a bowling alley facility wherein some of the components may be fabricated from readily available local sources.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved removable platform for a bowling alley array in a bowling alley facility that can be relatively economically fabricated, shipped. and stored when not in use.